The Ship

The Shinyo Maru was a Japanese cargo vessel pressed into service as a prisoner transport during World War II. On 7 September 1944, while carrying over 750 American POWs from Davao in the southern Philippines to Manila, it was attacked and sunk by the USS Paddle, unaware that the ship held Allied prisoners.

The Attack

The vessel was torpedoed off the western coast of Mindanao. As it began to sink, Japanese guards opened fire on the prisoners in the hold to prevent their escape. Despite the chaos and slaughter, 82 POWs managed to escape and swim to the jungle-covered shore, where Filipino guerrillas aided their survival.

“I jumped. I couldn’t breathe. I didn’t know where the bullets were coming from. But I knew if I stayed, I would die.” — Pvt. Thomas Hart, Shinyo Maru survivor

Aftermath

The survivors were later evacuated and their stories became critical in exposing the treatment of POWs aboard the Japanese hellships. The sinking of the Shinyo Maru is notable not just for its tragedy, but for the courage and fate-defying survival of a handful of men who endured the unthinkable.

Legacy

The Hellships Memorial honors the memory of the men lost aboard the Shinyo Maru and pays tribute to those who survived. It stands as a reminder of the horrors faced by POWs and the heroism found even in the darkest waters.

Explore further: About the Hellships | Support the Memorial